By Haidar Eid  

Towards the end of the latest Israeli horrific onslaught on the besieged Gaza Strip in May 2021, the idea of producing a new song about the Sumud (steadfastness) of the people of historic Palestine – those who died defending our dignity; those who refused to kneel in Sheikh Jarrah; and those who took to the streets of Lydda, Haifa Um El Fahm, and other parts of Palestine came up – a song that captured the moment when ALL Palestinians decided to create a “place for all at the rendezvous of victory.”

As soon as a ceasefire was declared, Palestinians, in spite of the heavy price paid in blood, took to the streets to express their pride in their victory. Hence the joy after Israel’s defeat at the hands of

“Those who died in the battle

And those who contributed and sacrificed

They who slept in the ditches

And those yearning for a new world

And those with a heavy burden on their shoulders

And they who went to bed with empty stomachs

We are all the salt of the earth

Who will cross the seven seas and reach the stars of the sky!

We are joyous, joyous, JOYOUS!

Farhaneen, Farhaneen, FARHANEEN!”

This song is dedicated to them, The Wretched of the Earth

Lyrics: Ahmed Fouad Negm

Composed by: Sheikh Imam

Performed by: Haidar Eid

– Haidar Eid is an Associate Professor in the Department of English Literature at the Al-Aqsa University, in the Gaza Strip. He contributed this article to The Palestine Chronicle.

– Haidar Eid is an Associate Professor in the Department of English Literature at the Al-Aqsa University, in the Gaza Strip. He contributed this article to The Palestine Chronicle.